Simon Boyd, managing director of structural steel firm REIDsteel, has responded to a vote in the House of Commons supporting the Stormont Brake in the government’s Windsor Framework for Northern Ireland.
Simon, who is a member of the CBI’s manufacturing council, said: “This vote fails to resolve the fundamental issue at stake: that part of the UK will remain under the control of the EU and jurisdiction of the European Court of Justice.
“For the UK to take full advantage of the freedoms offered by Brexit, our government and devolved administrations need to be free to regulate and set laws in the interest of British businesses.
“Removing a section of the country and making it subject to EU rules, regulations and directives means that it cannot benefit from these advantages. Furthermore, this could impact negatively on British businesses that wish to trade within our own domestic market.
“It appears that Rishi Sunak has done an impressive sales job on the Windsor Framework yet its inadequacies have become clearer now that the more detailed terms and conditions have been assessed.
“No matter how hard the Stormont Brake pedal is pushed, it appears that Northern Ireland will remain in the orbit of EU control and as such will be treated differently to other parts of the United Kingdom.
“The EU has used the threat of a hard border on the island of Ireland as a stick with which to beat our politicians with over many years, and our government has capitulated yet again.
“This and other recent events appear to be proof that the ‘wets’ are clearly in charge and they are taking the Conservative party down a very slippery slope.”